1. The name Montana has a Spanish origin. The earliest Spanish settlers named the state “montaña” and it means mountain in Spanish. Montana is one of the nine mountainous states located in the western United States.

2. The motto of Montana is “oro y plata” and this means “gold and silver” in Spanish. This motto is taken from the gold and silver deposits in the state. Gold was first discovered in Montana in 1852.

Montana (in red) on the map with its bordering states.

3. Butte, Montana is called the “richest hill on planet earth”. This is because of the rich mining history of this city.

4. Montana has a very low population density. Of the state’s 56 counties, 46 counties have average populations of just 6 people or less per square mile. This is why these counties are considered “frontier counties”.

5. Montana has a large population of grizzly bears. This is probably why the grizzly bear is the state animal of Montana. An estimated 1800 grizzly bears are thought to be alive today.

Grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park, Montana.

6. Montana has huge deposits of natural and mineral resources. Some of these resources are zinc, copper, silver, lead, oil, manganese, gold, timber and zinc.

7. The largest city in Montana is Billings and the capital city is Helena. Billings is the only city in Montana to have a population of more than 100,000 people while approximately 75,000 people live in Helena.

8. Montana has two popular nicknames. It is called the “Big Sky Country” and it is also called “The Treasure State”.

9. Montana is the 41st state to be formed in the U.S. preceded by South Dakota and succeeded by Washington. It was incorporated into the union on November 8, 1889.

10. Montana is bordered by four American states; Wyoming, Idaho, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Montana also has a large international border with Canada. It is the only state in the U.S. to share a land border with three Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan).

Flag of Montana

11. Montana has two important revenue-generating industries. They are mining and agriculture.

12. Montana is the first state in the United States to elect a woman to Congress. Montana native, Jeanette Rankin was elected to Congress in 1916 and re-elected in 1940. Jeanette Rankin was against the World Wars and also opposed the U.S. attack on Pearl Harbour. Her’s was the only vote against the war and she faced furious opposition for her views.

13. Approximately 10,000 white pelicans migrate from the Gulf of Mexico to Medicine Lake, Montana every spring. These birds are striking because they have wingspans of about nine feet.

A Pelican in Montana.

14. There are more cattle than human beings in Montana. This is not surprising because the state is an important center of livestock farming.

15. The largest snowflake ever observed was seen in Fort Keogh, Montana. This snowflake had an incredible diameter of 15 inches.

16. One of the largest steer in world history rests in the O’Fallon Museum in Montana. This steer was about six feet tall and weighed an impressive 3,980 pounds.

18. The city of Loma in Montana has the world record for the greatest temperature change in 24 hours. The temperature changed a whopping 103 degrees Fahrenheit moving from -54 degrees Fahrenheit to 49 degrees Fahrenheit.

19. Montana has a unique feature called a triple divide. This triple divide allows water to flow into the Atlantic Ocean, The Hudson Bay (when considered an Arctic tributary) and the Pacific Ocean.

20. In 1888, there were more millionaires per capita in Helena, Montana than any other city on earth. Most of these millionaires made their money from gold.

State Quarter

21. Jordan, Montana is one of the remotest county seats in the United States. The nearest airport is 175 miles away while the nearest bus line is 85 miles away.

22. Part of the Yellowstone National Park is located in Montana. The park experiences 1000-3000 earthquakes annually and is also home to supervolcanoes. It is the first national park in the U.S.Montana is also home to the “Crown of the Continent” – the Glacier National Park.